paradise
by aliceavenger
Summary: Camelot is different. Alexia Pendragon, youngest daughter of King Uther Pendragon is locked away in a tower by her power crazed older sister Morgana. Her boyfriend Merlin is put under a spell and cant help her but she's going crazy. she created a place called paradise but will her paradise rise and conquer or crash and burn, taking everything with it.
1. prologue

Paradise

Prologue

It was a warm day in Camelot and once again Uther was sending another warlock to his death. The boy looked up at Uther with begging eyes

"Please I beg you, I mean no harm on you or your daughters" he looked up at the two girls sat either side of Uther. One had golden hair no longer then her shoulders and bright blue eyes while the other long raven black hair and great green eyes. The blond girl stood

"Father please he says he's sorry and that he would not harm you or I" she said "please let him go"

"He has magic and he cannot live!" he snapped

"But father"

"Sit down Alexia!" he yelled and she sat down in her throne. "You have been found guilty of using magic therefor you are sentence to _death_". The words hit the boy like a ton of bricks "guards take him away" Uther's men dragged the boy to the dungeon and everyone else left the court room except Uther and his daughters.

"He did not deserve that!" Alexia snapped standing in front of her father "he was just a boy!"

"A boy who had magic!"

"You say it like it's a bad thing" the raven haired girl interrupted. Standing and walking to stand next to her sister.

"This is not your fight Morgana stay out of it!" Uther said clenching his fists.

"If it's Alexis's it's mine" she said putting her arm around her sister

"I will have no more part in this!" Uther pushed past the girl to the door but before he could leave Alexia shouted at him

"Just remember how I feel about magic!"


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
It was a dark night in Camelot and everyone was sleeping except for one person, Morgana. She tossed and turned in her bed but the image in her head was so, so horrible she couldn't get it out. Her eyes opened slightly and her eyes glow gold creating a cloud above her head. She opened her eyes and saw the cloud; she didn't know what to think. She took a deep breath and her eyes glow again causing it to start raining in her chambers. Morgana screamed and before she knew it, the cloud was gone! Alexia ran in and put her arms around her older sister  
"It's ok, it's ok" she stroked her hair "it's only a dream"  
"No" morgana pulled away but kept hold of Alexia's arms "it wasn't". Alexia sat for a moment then realized Morgana was soaking wet!  
"Why are you all wet?"  
"It was magic" morgana cried "I have magic!" tears ran down her face and she hugged Alexia tighter.  
"It's ok" she said holding her sister  
"IT'S NOT!" Morgana looked at her  
"It is because I have magic too" Morgana didn't know how to reply except with once question  
"How long?" Alexia smiled  
"I was born with it" Morgana smiled at her little sister. She knew they had different mothers but this; this was a surprise but a good one. "Now come on let's get you dry clothes and you can stay in my chamber tonight" Alexia led her sister out of the soaked room and back to her own where she gave her a dry night dress and a warm place to stay for the rest of the night.  
The next morning Alexia was sat on the table in Gaius's chambers telling him about the night before.  
"Well that's terrible, poor morgana mustn't know what to think anymore" he sighed  
"No Gaius it's good!" Alexis smiled "do you know how long I've been waiting for someone else to have magic so I can have someone to talk to?"  
"Well you have me" Gaius put his hand on her shoulder.  
"It's not the same Gaius" she sigh "I'm sorry" Gaius smiled  
"I understand anyway can you help me clean up I have a gest coming in a few hours"  
"More like a few seconds" a boy stood in the doorway and smiled. He had deep blue eyes and black hair.  
"Merlin!" Gaius exclaimed "I thought you weren't coming till later" Merlin shrugged  
"Thought I'd surprise you" he noticed Alexia sat on the table "though I think you had the same idea." Alexia got off the table and smiled  
"Merlin this is Alexia p-"  
"My name's Alexis" Alexia cut Gaius off.  
"My lady" he bowed taking her hand and kissing it gently. Alexis blushed and hid her face  
"Alexis please" she smiled. Merlin nodded  
"Alexis it is then" they stood looking at each other for a while before Gaius spoke  
"Haven't you got somewhere to be Alexis? Like with Morgana…"  
"Oh!" Alexis broke out of her trance like feeling "of course thank you Gaius" she walked past Merlin to the door "it was nice meeting you" she smiled before walking away to find her sister. Merlin watched her leave, then once she was gone turned to Gaius and said one simple word  
"Wow". The boy stood for a moment wondering how Gaius was going to react but he wasn't left waiting for long.  
"You're not here to flirt, Merlin" he said turning towards the bookcase "you're here to be kept safe"  
"Not likely" he mumbled looking at the floor.  
"What was that?" Gaius asked keeping his eyes fixed on the bookcase  
"Well the first thing I see when I walk into Camelot is a boy my age being hung for magic and a girl so beautiful I could faint!" Gaius turned around "and don't have a chance!" Gaius stared for a moment then replied  
"You and Alexis have more in common than you think"  
"Like what?!"  
"Well for instance you both have both suffered the loss of a parent" Merlin's checks burnt with embarrassment how could he not have known that? "And" Gaius said sitting down "you both have magic". Merlin's jaw dropped how could a girl like that have magic?  
"But she's, she's"  
"Not so different after all"


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
"He's the most handsome boy I've ever seen!" Alexis sat on Morgana's bed as her older sister picked out a dress for the banquet that night. Morgana laughed slightly and smiled  
"So he might be but he's a servant, father would never agree" Alexis sighed and looked to the floor then shot her head back up  
"But he doesn't know I'm a princess!"  
"He will tonight" Morgana turned round holding a dress up to show her but noticed she wasn't looking. She knelt down in front of her little sister "hey it's ok; I won't tell if you don't" Alexis smiled "now does this look right for the kings daughter?"  
That night at the banquet Merlin and Gaius were helping serve food to the guests when the room was called silent and Morgana and her Father walked in. Alexis was of course running fashionably late. Morgana looked around for the boy her sister had been talking about and it didn't take long before she clapped eyes on the scarfed boy. Her sister was right he was quite good looking and she could see him and her little sister getting together. Merlin looked around for the blond girl he met earlier but she was nowhere to be seen, he was quite disappointed.  
After a few minutes of the chattering and servants running around getting food to everyone the room fell silent as the king stood and prepared to speak.  
"Ladies and gentleman, as you can see we are on short of this banquet tonight and you all know why" it was true they did all know, Alexis was always late whether it was her choice or her maid was just very slow. "But the wait is over" Uther smiled "Ladies and gentleman, my youngest daughter Alexia" the doors opened and Alexis stepped through them. She was wherein a light blue dress that had a silver band around the middle, the rime and the neck line and had a silver snow flake on her forehead. That was always one of her tricks. She walked through the hall her golden hair cascading down her back. Merlin's jaw dropped for the second time that day, he had just fallen in love with a princess. Alexis sat down next to her father and smiled. She looked around the room to see if merlin was there and was pleased to see him so close to the royal table.  
As the night drew to a close and guests began to leave Merlin found this the perfect time to get close to Alexis. Uther stood at the doors greeting people as they left, with Alexis and Morgana on either side of him.  
"You look beautiful" Merlin said from behind Alexis's head. She turned her head quickly to see who was there and was relieved to see Merlin and not one of the knights her father was trying to set her up with.  
"Oh, Merlin" she put her hand on her chest "you scared me" she smiled.  
"I'm sorry my lady" he bowed slightly and Alexis looked confused  
"Why are you?" before she finished Merlin shifted his eyes to Uther and she looked at him. He was looking down at her with a raised eyebrow  
"Oh, um, father this is Merlin he's um new in Camelot" Merlin didn't know what to say so he settled for sire  
"Sire" he bowed again. Uther chuckled and turned to say goodbye to another leaving guest  
"Well, he likes you" Alexis smiled. Merlin looked at her then they laughed quietly so not to go noticed. They talked for a while before Uther told Alexis and Morgana to go to bed. As Alexis went past she left a note in Merlin's pocket telling him to leave and meet her in the court yard. While Gaius and Uther talked about royal stuff Merlin slipped out and made his way to meet the princess.  
Merlin ran through the halls and burst through the main doors with excitement but his excitement soon disappeared when she saw Alexis. She was sat on the bottom step and had her head in her hands. What was wrong? She seemed so full of joy at the banquet merlin thought. He felt so helpless, Merlin sat next her and she rose her head. Her skin was pale and her once bright eyes were grey with tears streaming out of them. She couldn't even look at Merlin before her tears started again and she covered her face. Merlin put his arm around her and she looked up at him. He looked into her faded eyes and smiled.  
Morgana was walking the halls to find Alexis as she had gone into her chambers to find her but she wasn't there. Morgana looked at all the places she could have been and began to panic. Her sister was missing! Morgana thought for a moment do I tell father? She thought but then it hit her she hadn't looked outside! Alexis loved the outside how could she have been so stupid?!  
Alexis smiled at Merlin he understood.  
"I um come here sometimes" she said looking to the floor "mostly to cry"  
"But why?" Merlin said louder then he wanted to "You have the perfect life" Alexis laughed  
"My mother died when I was born, I have magic and I live in a kingdom where magic is banned!" she cried. Merlin was wrong she didn't have the perfect life in fact she probably had the worst. "Merlin?" she asked quietly "do you like me?" Merlin smiled  
"Of course I do, in fact I think you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen" Alexis smiled. When leant in close and kiss here but little did they know as their lips touched Morgana opened the door and watched as her little sister had finally found love.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
A few months later and Merlin and Alexis had been dating for a while now but the one who knew about them being together was Morgana and she just found it romantic. When one night Alexis fell ill and everyone in the kingdom panicked, fearing for the life of the princess.  
"She can't die Gaius" Uther said. He was sat next to her bed holding her hand and almost in tears. Gaius stood on the opposite side of the bed, Merlin behind him,  
"She's gravely ill sire and I fear that's all I can do for her" Merlin looked to the floor trying to hide his tears.  
"No" Uther stood "we must use" he walked over to Gaius and whispered in his ear "sorcery"  
"Sorcery!" he exclaimed "but sire it's outlawed by you!" Uther sat down next to Alexis again and held her hand  
"If it saves my daughter I don't care".  
Morgana was outside the chambers and herd all that her father had said. It made her furious how could he do that outlaw sorcery then use it whenever he wanted to then outlaw it again.  
"HIPACRIT!" Morgana stormed into the room all guns blazing "HOW CAN YOU DO THAT!? ONE MINUTE HATE THE SIGHT OF A SORCER THE NEXT USE THEM FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT!"  
"Morgana calm down" Uther stood walking away from Alexis's bedside  
"CALM DOWN YOU TAUGHT ME TO FEAR MAGIC MY WHOLE LIFE AND NOW YOU WANT ME TO TRUST IT!?" she could feel the anger growing inside her, she wanted to use her magic to show him that his own daughter had it. It would have crushed him.  
"Morgana I think you better leave" Gaius put his hand on her shoulder "it's not good for Alexia" Morgana looked at her sister, she was panting hard like she was scared, like she had heard all that had just happened. Morgana nodded then looked at Uther  
"This isn't over" she hissed.  
"It's over when I say it's over and I say it's OVER!" Uther shouted at her as Merlin led Morgana out of the room.  
"I know it's hard" he said trying to comfort her  
"NO, YOU DON'T" she yelled walking away  
"REALLY!?" he shouted after her "I LOVE YOUR SISTER MORE THEN YOU CAN IMAGEN AND IF SHE DIED" he cut out and looked at the floor "I already lost my father and I couldn't, can't bear to lose her too" it looked too painful to say but Morgana new he meant every word. She nodded then turned and walked away. Her sister was going to die and she couldn't do anything about it.  
It had almost been a week since Alexis had grown ill and there was no hope even Merlin had used his magic but it had no effect. Morgana was walking the streets while passers-by wished Alexis good health but she know there was nothing anyone could do for her sister. Till one day there was a visitor in Camelot who had heard about Alexis's illness and thought maybe she could help.  
"Excuse me" a long blond haired woman wherein a beautiful blue dress "are you the lady Morgana?" morgana looked at the woman and nodded  
"Yes why?" the woman smiled  
"My name is Morgause and I may have a cure for your sister's illness." Morgana looked at the woman with excitement  
"You think you can help her?" Morgause nodded. Morgana's heart skipped a beat she took hold of Morgause's hand "then come we must tell my father". Morgana ran to the castle with Morgause close behind and when she got to the throne room she felt like she was going to explode.  
"Morgana!" Uther stood as his daughter smashed through the doors interrupting an important council meeting.  
"Father" she said breathlessly "this woman says she can cure Alexis!" Uther walked towards Morgause with a weird look on his face  
"What has she told you exactly?" he stood in front of Morgause and looked her up and down.  
"She told me that she has a cure!" Morgana said "father you're wasting time!"  
"Silence!" Uther yelled looking at Morgana. He looked at Morgause again "you look familiar"  
"I have that type of face" she smirked  
"Speak your name" he said holding his head high  
"Morgause" the woman said "my name is Morgause". Uther looked at this woman in horror then turned away  
"She will not help my daughter" he said making his way to his seat.  
"But father she'll die!" Morgana said in despair  
"But nothing I refuse!" his voice boomed though the room. Morgana began to cry harder then she had before  
"I HATE YOU!" she yelled before running away down the halls. Morgause followed with speed and soon caught her up. She was sat on the floor in the corner of her room tears making a trail as they rolled of her cheeks. Morgause sat next her and she lifted her head "I don't care what Uther says" Morgause listened with interest "you'll help her anyway" Morgana stood "please". Morgause sat there for a moment then stood and nodded.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
"She's in here" Morgana opened the door and led Morgause to the bed where her sister lay dying. Tears welled up in Morgana's eyes when she saw her little sister so pale she was almost blue in fact her lips were blue. "Please" Morgana pleaded "help her". Morgause stood over the bed and raised her hands in the air. She mumbled so words that were too jumbled to make any sense. The only words morgana understood where Alexia Pendragon. Morgana watched as her sister went from being blue to pale to almost the colour she was before she was ill. Alexis looked as if she was about to wake up when  
"Arrest her!" Uther bust into the room and guards ran past him grabbing hold of Morgause. "She is sentenced to death for the use of magic" the guards started pulling Morgause away but morgana ran in front of the door.  
"Father please!" she shouted "look at Alexis! She helped her!"  
"Enough!" Uther yelled "I told you she would have no part in Alexia's recovery and you disobeyed me!" Morgana was about to say something but Uther cut her off "I have had enough of your behaviour lately young lady I swear I will not stand for it!" Uther waved the guards out and they dragged Morgause with them.  
"I will stop this" morgana hissed walking past Uther to the door but he grabbed her arm to stop her  
"I don't think so" he hissed back.  
Morgana walked to the dungeons hiding a dagger under her clock. She entered the room but was stopped a guard.  
"I'm sorry my lady I have been instructed not to let you" he was interrupted by a dagger to the stomach. The guard collapsed to the ground and Morgana stepped over him  
"Morgause?" Morgana whispered walking past some cells.  
"Morgana" Morgause spoke up. She was stood at the edge of the cage "I must tell you something" Morgana stood in front of her "I'm not who you think I am, I'm your sister" Morgana gave her a strange look.  
"You can't"  
"We have the same mother, she died because Uther killed her and I was told never to return to Camelot but I had to I had to find you" Morgana stared at her for a moment "Uther may be kind to you but he's a liar, he hates us for having magic"  
"But he"  
"No morgana you have to listen" there was a high pitch scream from around the corner. A maid had come to give food for the prisoners and had found the dead body of the guard. "When I die you must kill Uther then you will be Queen and magic will once again rule over this kingdom" Morgana nodded and Morgause slipped something into her hands "now go!" Morgana didn't have time to look at what it was so she started to run. Now she was scared.  
The next day Camelot watched as Morgause was hung and they welcomed back Alexis who had been ill for so long. Morgana sat in her chambers holding the bracelet Morgause had given her. It was silver with gold details and an inscription on the inside. It read to my sister Morgana I will always live on in your rule. Morgana new what this meant, she had to kill Uther.  
"Morgana?" a small recovering voice said from the door. Morgana hid the bracelet under her pillow  
"Alexis" she smiled as her sister walked in.  
"I noticed that you weren't at the hanging" she sat next to her "I thought something might be troubling you"  
"Troubling no" she laughed a little "I wasn't there because, well, isn't it hard for you? To watch father kill people who are the same as you" Alexis looked at the floor then shrugged  
"I'm used to it" Morgana looked in disbelief  
"How could you say that?!" she snapped "how could you turn you back on your kind?!"  
"Calm down" Alexis tried to calm her sister down.  
"How can I calm down?!" Morgana wouldn't believe what she was hearing.  
"Fine!" Alexis stood up "you think what you want to think! But I love magic and I always have" she walked towards the door "but some people use it for bad" she left and Morgana felt like screaming.  
Alexis walked the halls on the castle wiping tears from her eyes. She and Morgana had never fought like that and she was scared. She was on her way to tell Uther about what happened when she ran into Merlin or at least Merlin ran into her. He was or had been caring dirty washing and he'd dropped it when they made contact.  
"I'm sorry" Alexis smiled kneeling to the ground and helping him pick it up.  
"That's not your job" he said taking the clothes she was handing him. Alexis crossed her arms  
"How did you first meet me?" Merlin thought for a moment  
"You were with Gaius" Alexis nodded  
"And what was I doing?"  
"Learning about being a physician I know, I get it, you're not an ordinary princess" she smiled  
"Never was, never will be" they laughed for a bit then Morgana burst past them and towards the main hall. "Morgana!" Alexis called after her but she ignored her "geez" she sighed "I'll see you later" she hugged merlin then hurried after her sister.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
Uther was sat on the throne reading a scroll he had been sent by a neighbouring kingdom when Morgana burst through the doors. He looked up  
"I taught you better than that!" he said putting the scroll down.  
"I don't care about anything you taught me!" she hissed standing in the middle of the room. Uther stood  
"What right have you to talk to me like that?!"  
"Every, I'm your daughter!" she snapped "though I wish I wasn't!" Uther's eyes widened with shock. He was about to say something when she interrupted "and guess what?! I have magic!" Uther walked towards her  
"You stop this lying and go to your chambers!" he shouted pointing at the door but Morgana wouldn't move.  
"And so does Alexis!" Morgana screamed  
"Morgana!" Alexis stood in front of the doors to the hall with her hands in tight fists. Morgana smirked  
"What are you going to do? Hit me?" Morgana teased walking towards the younger girl "you couldn't if you tried"  
"Stop this now!" Uther shouted  
"Stay out of this old man!" Morgana screamed turning quickly to face him and in one swift movement raised her right hand and muttered a spell under her breath. Uther was sent flying backwards into a wall, his crown fell to the floor and his skull cracked. He lay to the ground, blood seeping onto the floor.  
"Father!" Alexis ran to her father and knelt down next to him. His eyelids fluttered, Alexis looked up at Morgana "get Gaius!" Morgana didn't move "now Morgana please!" she still didn't move. Tears fell down Alexis's face; she got up and ran to the door. She ran fast through the castle knowing her father's life was at stake "help!" she burst into the physicians chambers "help me please!" Gaius came out of a room at the back followed by Merlin  
"What is it?" Gaius asked  
"My father, you have to help him please!" Merlin walked forward and put his hand on her shoulder  
"Calm down and what's happened?" he said. Alexis was about to answer when two guards burst into the room.  
"Gaius, Morgana has asked for you immediately" one of them said. Gaius nodded then him, Merlin and Alexis went after him.  
Morgana was sat at her father's side with his head on her lap she had a tears rolling down her cheek. They walked in and Alexis didn't like what she saw.  
"Oh Gaius please help" Morgana said her voice breaking  
"Get away from him!" Alexis yelled running towards Morgana. Morgana stood up "this is your fault!" Alexis shouted "you did this!" while the girls were shouting at each other Gaius and Merlin had gone over to check on Uther but he was dead.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
Uther was buried deep inside the castle and it wasn't long before Morgana was crowned as queen of Camelot. Alexis had locked herself in her room and only given Merlin a key to get in, he and Gaius were the only people she know trusted. Every breakfast, lunch and dinner Merlin or Gaius would bring food for her so she wouldn't go hungry.  
"You can't keep yourself locked up like this, it's not good for you" Merlin tried to tell her. Alexis was sat on the floor in the corner of her chambers staring at the floor,  
"My sister murdered our father and was still given the crown" she looked up at Merlin with tears in her eyes "I'll never see him again"  
"I know how that feels" Merlin sat down next to her "now come on, please just come outside" Alexis smiled as Merlin helped her up when suddenly her chamber door was kicked in and Morgana with six guards burst in.  
"Arrest her!" Morgana screeched and two of the knights came forward and took hold of Alexis's arms.  
"Morgana!? I haven't done anything!" Alexis tried to wiggle free but the guards were too strong.  
"You tried to poison me!"  
"I did no such thing! Since father died I've been locked in here!"  
"It's true!" Merlin exclaimed from behind them "I've been bringing her food to keep her alive" Alexis looked at Merlin and smiled while mouthing the words 'thank you'.  
"Lies!" Morgana shouted "lock her up and don't let her go!" Alexis struggled as the guards pulled her out of her chambers and towards the dungeon.  
"Merlin!" she screamed as he ran after her. He ran in front of her to stop the guards  
"I just want to talk to her" he said calmly. The guard nodded and stepped back still holding Alexis's arms.  
"Merlin I'm scared" she cried as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Merlin cupped her face in his hand  
"You're going to be fine I promise, I'll save you" they smiled but the guard pushed Alexis forward  
"Alright that's enough!" he pulled her away from Merlin and down the hall.  
"I will save you!" Merlin shouted as Alexis was pulled out of view.  
"Merlin" Morgana said from behind him "can I talk to you?"  
"Yes my lady"  
"In my chambers" she turned and walked away and Merlin followed.  
Morgana stood in front of the fire place in her chambers as Merlin walked in and closed the door behind him.  
"Drink?" she offered him a glass of red wine knowing full well she had put something in it.  
"I can't" Merlin declined the offer.  
"You can't refuse me, I am your queen" she offered the glass once more and this time merlin took it. "Cheers" Morgana smiled taking a sip of her wine, Merlin smiled slightly and drunk the whole glass just to make Morgana happy. Merlin put the glass on the table and held his head  
"I don't feel too good" he moaned sitting down next to his glass. Morgana smirked and sat next to him  
"Oh, poor baby" she mocked him  
"I'm serious" he tried to stand "I have to see Gaius" Morgana pulled him back down and the next thing he knew he was unconscious.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
Alexis sat in the corner of the cold cell talking to herself.  
"He said he'd come" she said with rolling down her cheeks "he said he'd save me" Alexis buried her face in her arms and sobbed to herself.  
"Poor little princess" Morgana opened the door "you should have thought twice before you tried to poison me" Alexis looked up at her; her face was red with tears.  
"I told you, I didn't poison you!" she exclaimed.  
"Don't answer back to me!" Morgana warned and then she calmed down a bit "I don't want to argue" Morgana said "I want to make peace"  
"Like how you did with father?"  
"That was his fault!"  
"No" Alexis stood up "it wasn't!"  
"You dare shout at your queen!"  
"You're not my queen! And you never will be!" Morgana stood still for a moment then shouted for the guards  
"Take her to the tower, and never let her go!" as the guards took hold of Alexis, Merlin appeared in the doorway.  
"Merlin!" Alexis exclaimed smiling but Merlin wasn't so happy.  
"I don't know what you're smiling about princess!" he snapped and Alexis's face dropped. Morgana smirked  
"What happened to you?!" Alexis cried trying to break away from the guards but failing.  
"I've seen my ways" he said darkly walking over to Morgana and kissing her hard on the lips.  
"No!" Alexis screamed as Morgana pulled away,  
"Take her away!" and within minutes Alexis was gone.  
Alexis was put in the tallest tower of the castle, where no one could hear her cries while Morgana crowned Merlin king of Camelot just as long as she had more power. Morgana and Merlin were walking the castle gardens when a thought popped into Morgana's head,  
"Have I done the right thing?" she asked stopping dead in her tracks "locking her up like that?" Merlin smirked and held Morganas waist  
"You did the perfect thing" Morgana smiled again and they continued their walk around the garden.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
Weeks had past and Alexis was still looked up in the tower but Alexis was happy. In her head she had created a little world she visits when she sleeps, she called it 'paradise'. Alexis lay in the corner of the room with her eyes tightly closed and talking slightly as she slept.  
"You can do better than that!" Alexis laughed holding her sword down by her leg. A blonde boy a few inches taller than Alexis stood up and raised his sword,  
"Is that a challenge?" he teased  
"If you want it to be" Alexis smiled then striked but the boy was too fast and had Alexis down on the floor before she could stop him.  
"Still think I can do better?" he asked pinning her to the floor with his sword. Alexis held her hands up in surrender  
"Ok, ok you win" she said with defeat.  
"Arthur, let the girl go" a maid walked across the knights training ground "I have to get her ready for the feast" Arthur smiled and pulled Alexis to her feet  
"Thank you" Alexis said brushing herself off, she turned to the maid "but I've told you Gwen, I don't need your help, help Morgana instead" Gwen smiled  
"Yes my lady" she nodded and walked away. Alexis turned to Arthur  
"Round two?" and before anyone could stop them they were fighting again.  
A little later on, Alexis was sat in her chamber brushing her hair when there was a knock on the door,  
"Come in" she called. Merlin opened the door and smiled,  
"Sorry to bovver you" Alexis smiled, put her brush down and stood up  
"You're never a bovver Merlin" Merlin laughed a little  
"Arthur wouldn't agree" she walked towards him  
"Then Arthur's a clotpole"  
"That's my word" Merlin complained. They laughed slightly "anyway, Morgana wanted me to check on you, you're running late for the dinner again" Alexis smiled  
"A princess is never late, everyone else is just simply early" Merlin smiled,  
"I'll remember that next time I'm late"  
Uther, Morgana and Arthur were sitting in the hall eating dinner when the doors opened and Alexis walked in.  
"You're late" Uther said looking at her  
"Sorry" she said sitting down "I was… umm"  
"You were…?"  
"Talking, talking to Gwaine" she smiled, she had to lie, Uther didn't know about her and Merlin yet.  
"Ok then" they ate in silence for a few moments before,  
"Father?" Arthur said "I've been meaning to tell you something"  
"What is it?" Arthur was quite for a moment  
"I'm in love" he said.  
"Oh?" Uther said "with whom?" Arthur was quite again, "Arthur?"  
"Gwen" he said simply.  
"I knew it!" Morgana and Alexis chorused,  
"You? Wait you two knew?" he looked at Morgana  
"Well I figured it out" she said, Uther nodded then looked at Alexis  
"He might have… well told me"  
"What!" Morgana and Uther snapped,  
"This is why I didn't want to tell you!" Arthur snapped at Uther "you would have reacted like that!" he got up and left.  
"I'll go," Alexis stood up and followed Arthur out. Morgana and Uther were gobsmacked.  
"Arthur!" Alexis called hurrying after him, "Arthur wait!"  
"What?!" he said stopping and spinning to face her sharply,  
"You did the right thing" Alexis said brushing a strand of her golden hair out of her smiling face.  
"Father doesn't think so" he said  
"Screw father!" Alexis blurted out  
"Alexis!"  
"It's your feelings not his!" Arthur sighed  
"You have a point"  
"I always do" she smiled. Arthur smiled back at his little sister,  
"Now come on" he said linking arms with his smaller sibling  
"Where are we going?"  
"It's an important day tomorrow and you are not going to be late" he said leading her towards her chambers "get some sleep, I'll send Merlin to wake you and to make sure you're not late" he smirked, "you'd love that now wouldn't you?" Alexis smiled and blushed  
"Shut up" she said pushing him slightly, Arthur chuckled  
"Come on, everyone knows there's something going on there" Arthur pointed out.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
Morgana had started feeling bad for what had happened between her and Alexis, so one day she decided to visit Alexis in the tower just to talk to her and to say sorry.  
"Where are you going" Merlin asked standing in her way,  
"To see my sister" morgana replied trying to find a root around him.  
"Why?" she sighed  
"You may be king, but that's none of your beeswax" she said finally getting past him. Merlin shrugged and walked off hoping Morgana wasn't going to do anything stupid.  
Morgana was about to open the door of the cell Alexis was in, when she heard muffled voices, it didn't take her long to realise it was Alexis talking.  
"Arthur, leave Gwen alone for 5 minutes so she can help Merlin" Morgana listened carefully though the door to what her sister was saying. "Fine then, I guess you won't mind me taking merlin for an hour or so?" Morgana opened the door slightly to see Alexis asleep the middle of the room, she was talking in her sleep, about her paradise. "Merlin" Alexis repeated his name about three times.  
"Stop!" Morgana yelled at her sleeping sister causing her to wake "you little bitch!"  
"But I haven't done anything!" Alexis yelled jumping up off the ground. Morgana laughed darkly,  
"You have feelings for my husband!"  
"Your husband!" Alexis exploded "he loved me more then you any day!"  
"Enough!" Morgana silenced her "I was going to apologise but fine! You can root in this tower!" Morgana turned sharply and walked out the door ordering the guards to lock it.  
"I would never accept you apology!" Alexis screamed at her as she began to walk down the tower stairs.  
2 months or so after Alexis was locked up; Morgana had executed hundreds of people for protesting or trying to set Alexis free. Little did they know that their precise princess was in fact torturing herself. Ever since Alexis had first gone to her 'paradise' she had gone every time she slept and every time she woke up she would sleep again so not to face the truth. But the truth was that she was going insane. A maid had tried to give her dinner but Alexis tried to bite her for following Morgana's orders. Life in the real world seemed hopeless for Alexis yet in her 'paradise' life was perfect.  
"Merlin?" Morgana said quietly walking into their chambers; Merlin looked up and saw the worried look on his wife's face  
"What is it?" Morgana sighed  
"She attacked a maid again"  
"Again?!" Morgana nodded looking at the floor,  
"A guard had to intervene but then she bit him!" Merlin shook his head  
"She's a health hazard! We have to do something" Morgana looked up at him  
"We have to kill her" Merlin's heart was racing, it was the first time Morgana talked like that and it really excited him.  
"But how? She used to mean so much to us" they thought for a while before morgana got an idea. "Put a sleeping draft in her food, and then while she's asleep burn her at the stake"


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
Morgana had arranged the burning with some guards, so while they were setting it up she was waiting for Merlin to return with the news that Alexis was drugged. Merlin opened the door to Alexis' cell bringing the drugged food with him. As he entered she bolted to her feet and to the back of the small room.  
"Get away from me!" she yelled flinging her arms in front of her face "I want nothing from you!" Merlin smirked and raised he hands carefully so not to drop the plate  
"You haven't eaten sire" Alexis put her hands down; he sounded like the sweet, caring Merlin that she fell in love with. "It's bad for you" she stepped forward into the light,  
"Merlin?" she said quietly "is that really you?" Merlin nodded and smiled. Alexis' face light up with joy before she ran towards him and threw her arms around him "I was so afraid" tears fell down her face.  
"It's ok" he pushed her away slightly "now eat" he offered her the plate but she hesitated, "I took it from Morgana's chambers" he whispered placing it into her hands "now eat". Alexis picked up a piece of cheese on the plate and ate it before she scoffed the whole lot. It felt so good to eat again for the first time. Merlin took the empty plate off her and put it on the floor near the door and as he turned back to face her, she fell into his arms unconscious.  
"Come on!" Alexis dragged Merlin though the halls of the castle,  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he said stopping her for a few minutes.  
"Of course, and if father doesn't like it, tough" she said smiling. Merlin smiled back before she yanked him forward and ran pulling him behind her. Alexis burst into the throne room where Uther, Morgana, Arthur, Gwen and other members of the court were told to meet.  
"Alexia what is the meaning of this?" Uther said standing  
"I…" Alexis held merlin's hand and pulled him closer to her "we wanted to tell you something" she smiled. Arthur flashed a smile to his sister, he was proud of her she had the guts to do something he never could. Stand up to Uther Pendragon.  
"Are you telling me that you and Arthur's manservant are a couple?"  
Merlin carried the unconscious princess to the court yard were the guards had finished setting up the podium Alexis would be burnt on. The guards took her and tied her to the podium which would soon be her grave. The guards looked up to the royal balcony were they saw Morgana and Merlin stood proudly wherein their crowns.  
"This girl" Morgana spoke up getting the attention of the crowed, "Alexia Pendragon, has been sentence to death for treason" Morgana raised her hand and dropped it signalling for the guards to set the podium on fire and they did.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
"Father, I love Merlin and I don't care what you think" Alexis spoke sticking up for herself  
"Alexia" Uther walked forward and put his hands on her shoulders "I'm happy for you and if you love him as much as you say you do, then who am I to stand in your way" Alexis smiled and hugged her father.  
"Sire!" Percival yelled pointing at the doors; they broke from their hug to see that doors of the throne room on fire. They were trapped.  
Arthur tried shielding Gwen from the flames but it didn't work, Morgana had disappeared and no one knew where she went, the knights hung around Gaius and Uther while Merlin and Alexis sat in the corner of the hall. Alexis sat holding her knees to her chest while Merlin sat next to her with his arms around her. They both sat there and watched as everyone else in the room Burned and screamed, Alexis cried as she heard her father scream out in pain and as Merlin curled his body over hers to try and keep her safe.  
Morgana and Merlin watched from the balcony as the wood around Alexis burned and it didn't take long before her dress started to catch light too. But Morgana didn't seem as happy as Merlin did; this was what she had been working towards for months now, why didn't it feel good?  
The heat was unbearable and Alexis and Merlin were stuck. The back of Merlin's shirt caught fire and he screamed at the top of his lungs. Alexis held him tightly as he cried out in pain.  
"It's going to be ok" Alexis was terrified, this was paradise and everything was falling down. She closed her eyes and wished this was just a bad dream but the fire caught her leg and she opened her eyes and screamed.  
Morgana watched in horror as her sister opened her eyes and screamed as the fire burned at her legs.  
"Stop!" Morgana screamed "put the fire out!" she ran down to the yard to find guards pulling Alexis off the burnt podium and laying her on the floor. "Out of my way" she pushed the guards to the side, knelt down on her knees and cradled Alexis' head on her lap. Alexis opened her eyes slightly and smiled at her sister "I'm sorry" Morgana said with a tear in her eyes "for everything"  
"I… for…give…you" she replied weakly Morgana smiled at her sister.  
"I love you Alexis"  
"What are you doing?" Merlin ran up to them and tried to pull Morgana away but Morgana kept hold on her sister. "Morgana let her go!"  
"No, you loved her once remember!" Morgana mumbled a spell under her breath and Merlin suddenly remembered everything.  
"What's…?" Merlin saw Alexis on the floor "Alexis!" he knelt down next to her "Alexis" he said with tears filling his eyes "I didn't save you"  
"Mer…lin" she lifted her hand weakly and cupped his face "you… already… saved…me" a tear ran down Merlin's cheek  
"You can't die, not like this" Alexis smiled  
"I love you Merlin"  
"I love you too" he kissed her but their kiss was cut short when Alexis closed her eyes. "Alexis?" Merlin said holding her close "Alexis!" she was dead. Morgana started crying, she had realized too late that she loved her sister and that everything she had done was wrong.  
Alexis was buried next to Uther and her death was mourned by people not just in Camelot but people in all of the five kingdoms. Morgana and Merlin visited her grave almost every day and merlin had agreed to become Morgana's adviser so she wouldn't make the same stupid mistake again. But in a town not so far away from Camelot a boy called Arthur mourned for the death of his sister.  
The end… or is it?


End file.
